3D Animation & Visual Effects School

The role of the animator in the entertainment industry has radically expanded over the past several decades and the animation school at the New York Film Academy reflects these changes. With a focus on immersing students in the fundamentals of 3D animation and visual effects, our award-winning faculty has designed an intensive, hands-on curriculum to prepare the next generation of animators and visual effects artists for an ever-growing and competitive industry, making it one of the best animation schools in the world.

An unparalleled animation institute, the animation school at the New York Film Academy provides students with state-of-the-art facilities and hands-on experience with the industry standard Maya, ZBrush, Mudbox, Motion Builder, and Nuke software and top-notch equipment.

Animation Courses

Students interested in taking an animation program at the New York Film Academy’s 3D Animation & Visual Effects School can expect to take many of the below animation courses depending on the workshop or program in which they enroll.

Modeling

Rigging

Introduction to Shaders

Lighting & Cameras

Screenwriting

Materials and Textures

Storyboard

Character Design

Introduction to Animation

3D Computer Modeling

UV Mapping

Rendering, Editing & Compositing

Animation

Lighting

Hard Surface Nurbs Modeling

Acting for Animation

MEL and Python

Particle Dynamics and Visual Effects

ZBrush

Mental Ray

Professional Development in Animation

Compositing with Nuke

Advanced Rigging

Storyboard & Animatic

Animation Classes

Aspiring animators interested in taking an animation program at NYFA’s 3D Animation School & Visual Effects can enroll in one throughout the year. To learn more about the start dates and tuition rates for the animation classes, please click here.

Animation Degrees

Students that wish to obtain an animation degree can complete a one-year program at the Academy’s NYC campus and apply for advanced standing in the BFA animation degree program offered at our Los Angeles campus.

Animation Programs

Designed to accommodate students looking to make a longer time commitment to their studies, the 3D Animation & Visual Effects School at the New York Film Academy offers the following animation program.

Animation Faculty

In addition to its top-notch curriculum and facilities, the animation school at the New York Film Academy is home to a distinguished and accomplished faculty of professional 3D animators and visual effects artists. Each faculty member possesses a unique skill set that helps to create well-rounded students who are comfortable with the numerous aspects of the animation pipeline. Some of the faculty members at the 3D Animation & Visual Effects School include:

Robert Appleton: Chair of the animation school at the Academy’s NYC campus, Appleton has previously worked as an acclaimed professor of 3D animation and visual effects at a number of institutions including the Ecole Superieure de Realisation Audiovisuelle, Pratt Institute, New York University, and Bloomberg LP London UK.

Mark Sawicki: A visual effects cameraman with decades of experience, Sawicki was originally trained as a clay animator. After nearly forty years, Sawicki has eighty-nine visual effects credits under his belt, having worked on such blockbuster films as The Dark Knight Rises, Tropic Thunder, Gangs of New York, From Dusk Till Dawn, Cape Fear, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, and The Terminator. In addition, he is the author of Animating with Stop Motion Pro and Filming the Fantastic.

Boaz Livny: An instructor in Advanced Lighting and Shaders, Livny is a CG/VFX supervisor for various post-production companies in the NYC area, including Elementary and Recom Farmhouse. Furthermore, he runs his own company called Vision Animations that provides production services, consultancy, and in-house training for studios around the world. He is also the author of Mental Ray for Maya, 3ds Max, and XSI: A 3D Artist’s Guide to Rendering.

Animation Alumni

The 3D Animation & Visual Effects School at the New York Film Academy regularly graduates successful alumni who go on to find employment in such diverse industries as animated films, animated series, visual effects work, video games, and much more.

Career Opportunities

Students who graduate from the animation school at the New York Film Academy have a number of career paths open to them, many of which are listed in the table below. Furthermore, past graduates have gone on to work for a number of companies and organizations that include the following beneath the below table.

Animator

Character Development

Art Direction

Storyboard Artist

Architectural Modeling

Layout Artist

Visual Effects Artist

Character Rigger

Key Animator

Lighting Technician

Video Game Designer

Stop Motion Animator

Title Designer

Junior Compositor

Texture Artist

Color Key Artist

Compositing Artist

Mathematical Modeler

Render Wrangler

Cartoonist

Junior Match Mover

Contact Us

To learn more about the animation school at the New York Film Academy, prospective students are encouraged to call us at +1 (212) 674-4300 and follow the links below to download more information.